“It wasn’t just the results against England last summer but the way the Australian public embraced everything we did and the way we played,” Haddin said.

“The first Test of a season in Brisbane is massive for us as cricketers and for the Wallabies there is the same buzz to play off,” Haddin said.

Speedster Johnson smashed stumps, bruised bodies and fractured minds with his Gabba Test blitz. When the English blinked he mowed through them but, more importantly, kept on doing it for 37 wickets in five straight wins.

Haddin, halfback-sized Phil Hughes and Mitchell Starc, who confessed to a touch footy game without any hint of a sidestep, met up on Thursday with Folau, Matt Toomua and Nic White in front of an unveiling of a giant Wallabies jumper at Brisbane’s iconic Kangaroo Point cliffs.

Ominously for the French, Folau is feeling far more in sync with everything Test rugby involves 12 months on from his stunning two-try debut against the British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium.

He is unperturbed that rival teams have wised up that kicking to him is a quick form of torture from his devastating kick-return runs. He is confident of regular ball from other sources.

“Our combinations are working really well in training and it helps having played with Bernard (Foley) at the Waratahs and Matt (Toomua) at the Wallabies,” Folau said.

“Bernard has a cool head about him and he’s a very good director. If we want the ball (out wide) I trust him to get it there.”

“We’ve trained all week to be prepared for the unpredictable so we definitely have to be (switched) on in defence when the French throw the ball around or try little grubbers.”